Ladera Ranch eliminates San Clemente in Little League play

Ladera Ranch American' Cooper Barkate fields a groundball against San Clemente's American during a District 68 9-10-year-old All Star game Monday afternoon at Wagon Wheel Sports Complex.PAT CUBEL, FOR THE REGISTER

TRABUCO CANYON – Ladera Ranch's American 9-10 All-Stars pitcher Luke Whittaker showed no signs of flagging as his father Mike Whittaker, the team's manager, walked to the mound to take the ball form him in the sixth inning of Monday's District 68 All-Star Tournament game.

It was a tournament-mandated pitch limit that forced the move to the bullpen, as Luke Whittaker was just one out away from putting the finishing touch on a splendid effort against San Clemente American at Wagon Wheel Park.

"I wanted to stay in," said Whittaker, who held San Clemente scoreless on five hits over 52/3 innings to earn the 5-0 win for his team. "I was trying to pitch a complete game."

Although he fell just short of that goal, Whittaker and Ladera Ranch accomplished their main objective of staying alive in the tournament. Having already lost to Rancho Santa Margarita, 4-0, on Sunday Ladera Ranch has no margin for error left in the double-elimination tournament. It next plays at 4:30 p.m. Friday against Trabuco Canyon as it tries to work its way back through the loser's bracket to Tuesday's championship game.

"Both teams played a great ball game and were just able to hit it a few times and get a few breaks," said Mike Whittaker, who got two runs batted in from Chase Smaker (two for two). "It could have gone either way the whole time; it was a good game."

Both teams had chances early, and neither could capitalize. San Clemente left seven runners on base over its first three at bats and Ladera Ranch saw its half of the first inning end on a lineout double play and the left the bases loaded in the second as the game remained scoreless heading to the bottom of the third.

It was there that Ladera Ranch picked up the only run it would need on a two-out single by Roger Thomas followed by a Smaker single to plate Thomas, who had advanced to second on a wild pitch.

San Clemente came back once again with a chance to answer when Cole Humphry led off the frame with a single and Cade Gray was hit by a pitch with one out to put runners at first and second. But a fielder's choice a strikeout looking quickly ended the last threat mounted by San Clemente, which would not get a runner aboard the rest of the way.

Even after Ladera Ranch added another run in the fourth when Trevor Black (two for three with a double) scored from third base on a throwing error, the game remained close until a big fifth inning sealed the deal for Ladera.

Ladera Ranch sent eight batters to the plate and scored three runs, beginning with an RBI single by Leyton Villanueva, who would score on an error two batters later. Smaker's double to center field to plate Thomas capped the scoring.

San Clemente, which opened the tournament with a 12-1 loss to South Mission Viejo on Saturday, got hits from Gray, Humphry, Simon Christensen, Matthew McGreevy and Keith Hoffmeister.

"Ladera always puts good team together," San Clemente manager Steve McGreevy said. "It was just the one inning and that's the way it always is with Little League baseball. You can play great for four or five innings, but there's usually that one inning and it's usually a little squibber that starts it off and once it gets away it's hard to get back."

Ladera Ranch American' Cooper Barkate fields a groundball against San Clemente's American during a District 68 9-10-year-old All Star game Monday afternoon at Wagon Wheel Sports Complex. PAT CUBEL, FOR THE REGISTER
Ladera Ranch American's Leyton Villanueva gets a hit during a District 68 9-10-year-old All Star game against San Clemente American Monday afternoon at the Wagon Wheel Sports Complex in Trabuco Canyon. PAT CUBEL, FOR THE REGISTER
Ladera Ranch American's Luke Whittaker gets around on this pitch during a District 68 9-10-year-old All Star game against San Clemente American Monday at the Wagon Wheel Sports Complex. PAT CUBEL, FOR THE REGISTER
Ladera Ranch American'sr Ben Nguyen makes this catch during a District 68 9-10-year-old All-Star game against San Clemente American Monday at the Wagon Wheel Sports Complex. PAT CUBEL, FOR THE REGISTER
Ladera Ranch American's Luke Whittaker pitches against San Clemente American during a District 68 9-10-year-old All-Star game Monday at the Wagon Wheel Sports Complex. PAT CUBEL, FOR THE REGISTER
Ladera Ranch American's Ben Nguyen stretches out to makes a catch and get the out at second base during a District 68 9-10-year-old All Star game against San Clemente American Monday at the Wagon Wheel Sports Complex. PAT CUBEL, FOR THE REGISTER

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